Old State House tower gets a makeover, Boston style
Built in 1713, this symbol of freedom is the longest-standing public building in Boston. The trick is to keep it standing.
Early last month, scaffolding was erected around the Old State House tower. It is the second phase of a total restoration, estimated to cost $10 million to $12 million, which began in August 2006, with the replacement and refurbishing of rain-corroded bricks and mortar.
Before it was dwarfed by surrounding buildings, the tower was high enough to spot ships traveling in and out of Boston Harbor. Now, besides obstructing the view, these taller neighbors intensify the winds. In the fall of 2005, gusts from Hurricane Wilma slammed the northeast corner of the Old State House, causing the wood to leak and rot.
The Bostonian Society, the city's steward of the historic structure, hired contractors for the current phase, which requires repairing and resealing all windows, work on the air-conditioning and heating system, and replacing wood siding and copper roofing. This phase is expected to continue into June and cost an estimated $2.1 million. Much of the money comes from city, state, and national funds, but also from private donors.
"It's just so important for not only Boston but for the rest of the country," said Rainey Tisdale, director of the Old State House Museum, where the Declaration of Independence was first proclaimed to Bostonians and where a court contributed to drafting the Massachusetts Constitution.
The museum also plans to add handicapped accessibility by reopening its Washington Street door as a main entrance and to create an endowed fund for ongoing preservation of the tower, Tisdale said. The Bostonian Society has documented the progress of the tower project since late March, at oldstatehousetower.blogspot.com.
MARC LAROCQUE
